As different data processing devices, such as mobile stations, become more complex, the significance of device management becomes more pronounced. Devices require several different settings, such as settings related to Internet access points, and setting them manually by the user is arduous and difficult. To solve this problem, for instance, device management solutions have been developed so that the administrator of a company's information system or a teleoperator can set an appropriate configuration for a device. Device management generally refers to actions by which a person typically not using a device can change the configuration of the device; for instance change the settings used by the device. In addition to device-specific settings, it is also possible to transmit user-specific data, such as user profiles, logos, ringing tones, and menus with which the user can personally modify the settings of the device, or the modification takes place automatically in connection with device management.
One of the device management standards is OMA (Open Mobile Alliance) DM (Device management), which is partly based on the SyncML (Synchronization Markup Language) protocol. For instance, a personal computer (PC) can act as a device management server in a device management protocol and a mobile station as a device management client. In terms of device management, the device management client, possibly on the basis of a triggering message from the device management server, transmits information concerning itself in a session initiation message to the device management server, and the device management server replies by transmitting its own information and server management commands. The device management client replies to these with status information, after which the server can end the session or transmit more server management commands. If the server transmits more server management commands, the client is to reply to them with status information. The server can always, after receiving status information, end the session or continue it by transmitting more server management commands. Device management can also be implemented by first transmitting queries to the user about what (s)he wishes to update, and information on the user's selections is transmitted to the server. Next, the server can in the next packet transmit the updates/commands the user desires.
As the number of functions on mobile handsets continues to grow, users find it increasingly difficult to configure their devices to be capable to connect or utilize services. As more services and software applications are implemented in mobile devices, a need for remote management can only grow.
Current device management systems enable manipulation of application and device specific configuration parameters, i.e. configuration management. In addition to configuration management, a need also exists for more sophisticated management capabilities enabling management of larger entities, for instance software management.